The House of Representatives has applauded the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, and the Nigeria Police Force for what it described as exceptional service in safeguarding pipelines, depots and other downstream petroleum infrastructure critical to Nigeria’s economy, while formally demanding the establishment of a dedicated Police Downstream Security Desk.
During a commendation visit to the Force Headquarters in Abuja on Thursday, the Chairman of the House Committee on Petroleum Resources (Downstream), Hon. (Barr.) Ikenga Imo Ugochinyere, lauded the Police for stabilising the downstream sector through strategic security deployments and community engagement.
Ugochinyere said the visit had two key objectives: to deepen collaboration between the National Assembly and the Police in securing downstream petroleum assets, and to present a Special Award of Recognition to the Force for its contributions to national energy security.
He described the Police as the ‘reliable backbone support’ of the downstream sector, noting that fuel distribution and petroleum marketing cannot function effectively without law enforcement presence and operational stability.
According to him, strategic deployment of personnel across pipeline corridors and depots has significantly reduced vandalism, product diversion and attacks on storage facilities in several zones.
He added that police escorts and highway monitoring units have enhanced the safe transportation of petroleum products, curbing theft, hijacking and supply disruptions.
The lawmaker also commended the Force for stabilising host communities through proactive engagement with local leaders and decisive interventions that reduced tensions and prevented operational shutdowns.
Beyond physical protection, he praised the Police for collaborating with regulatory agencies to clamp down on illegal refineries, fuel racketeering and black-market networks, efforts he said have strengthened the integrity of the formal petroleum market.
While applauding the Force, Ugochinyere stressed that the evolving and increasingly technology-driven petroleum landscape requires stronger institutional mechanisms.
He formally called for the creation of a Standing Police Downstream Security Desk to enhance coordination, enable rapid response to supply disruptions, and facilitate joint operations with regulators to eliminate illegal market activities.
He also urged intensified intelligence-led patrols around pipeline corridors, improved protection for product movement in high-risk areas, and sustained security support for legislative oversight activities nationwide.
Describing the Police as a ‘central pillar’ of Nigeria’s energy security framework, Ugochinyere said sustained protection of downstream infrastructure is key to preventing revenue leakages, restoring investor confidence and strengthening economic stability.
At the climax of the visit, the Committee presented the Nigeria Police Force with an Award for Exceptional Service in Downstream Infrastructure Protection.
Responding, Egbetokun declared that Nigeria’s downstream oil and gas assets are ‘not mere installations but the vital arteries of our national stability’, calling for stronger legislative backing and improved funding to bolster their protection.
‘These assets are critical to our energy security and the welfare of our people’, he said, noting that the Force has intensified inter-agency collaboration, strengthened intelligence-sharing and adopted proactive response strategies to counter economic sabotage.
The IGP emphasised that increasingly sophisticated threats demand innovation, improved surveillance systems and enhanced operational capacity. He appealed for greater legislative support, particularly in funding, advanced monitoring technology, specialised training and improved welfare for officers deployed to high-risk petroleum infrastructure operations.
‘Securing downstream oil and gas infrastructure is not just a security matter; it is a national economic necessity’, Egbetokun stated, assuring lawmakers of the Force’s continued professionalism and commitment to partnership.
The meeting forms part of ongoing engagements between security agencies and the National Assembly aimed at fortifying the downstream petroleum sector against vandalism, theft and other forms of economic sabotage, with renewed focus on institutionalising security coordination through a dedicated downstream desk
